CEO to raise $10 Million for Puerto Rico Aid & Rebuild

Red Ventures CEO Ric Elias launches nonprofit and will match up to $5 million for Puerto Rico relief and rebuild efforts

9/27/2017

Red Ventures CEO and Puerto Rico native Ric Elias announced today the launch of Rebuild Puerto Rico, a nonprofit with the goal of raising at least $10 million to help his home country. Elias has vowed to match up to $5 million.

“I
care deeply about our island and about the people there,” said Ric Elias. “Puerto
Ricans are facing a magnitude of devastation not seen in our lifetime. My heart
breaks for those who are in peril. This is a time for all who care about
Puerto Rico or humanity in general to stand up and pitch in.”

Last
week, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló called Hurricane Maria the “most
devastating storm to hit the island this century, if not in modern history,”
estimating damages north of $7 billion. While the full extent of the storm’s
destruction has yet to fully emerge, residents could be without power for
several months and approximately 15,000 residents remain as refugees in
government shelters. Much of the public health and power infrastructure has
been destroyed by the storm and what little is left continues to degrade due to
ongoing floods.

In
response to the devastation, Elias created Rebuild Puerto Rico and launched a
30 day online fundraising campaign on youcaring.com. He is working with a team
to evaluate the most critical areas of need and to get help to vulnerable
populations who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

“While
I am inspired by the resilience of Puerto Rico and by the relief efforts
already underway, it’s clear that there will be many more months and years of
suffering to come,” Elias said. “Our top priority is to make sure our
funds have the greatest possible impact on peoples’ lives. We’re working
to identify the most immediate needs and getting relief to vulnerable
populations. After that, the focus will shift to catalyze long-term solutions,
and ultimately, to help rebuild.”

Donations
to Rebuild Puerto Rico can be made here https://www.youcaring.com/rebuildpuertorico-962674

About
Ric Elias

A
native to Puerto Rico, Ric Elias attended Boston College and Harvard Business
School before founding Red Ventures, which currently employs 2700 employees
globally. Ric has founded several nonprofits including Road to Hire, an
on-the-job sales and tech training platform, Golden Door Scholars (GDS), which
creates educational and career opportunities for high-performing undocumented
students, and LifeHoops, an after school basketball and life training program
for at-risk youth. Elias was also a survivor of Flight 1549, known as the
miracle on the Hudson, which led to his widely viewed TED Talk “3 things I
learned while my plane crashed.” His leadership style has earned him noteworthy
recognition; in 2011 he was named an Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of
the Year and in 2016 he was inducted into the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of
Fame.

About
Red Ventures

Red
Ventures is a leading digital consumer choice platform based in Charlotte,
North Carolina. Through deeply integrated brand partnerships and
consumer-facing assets, Red Ventures connects online customers with products
and services across high-growth industries including home services, financial
services, and healthcare. Founded in 2000, Red Ventures has more than 2,700
employees in offices across the Carolinas, Seattle, Washington, London, and Sao
Paulo, Brazil.